Kukla's Korner Hockey

Finland put up a defensive wall and scored in all three periods. The Czechs simply had no answer.

Now, the Russians -- the only unbeaten team at this World Championship -- should be out for revenge after the ever-tenacious Finns stunningly eliminated them with a 3-1 Olympic quarter-final victory in Sochi in February.

The final also promises to be a great goaltending duel between Rinne, a two-time nominee for the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's best netminder, and Russian starter Sergei Bobrovski, who won the Vezina last season.

It will be the first time Russia and Finland have ever met in a World Championship gold medal game since the IIHF introduced the playoff system in 1992.